2024: A Year of Compassion, Commitment, and Community Impact
At Nassau Humane Society, our vision is simple yet powerful: a loving home for every pet. In 2024, we made incredible strides toward that goal, providing care, shelter, and second chances to nearly 1,700 dogs and cats.
We’re proud to share that over 90% of those animals found new beginnings—either through adoption or by being reunited with their rightful families. Additionally, a smaller percentage of pets were transferred to trusted, no-kill partner shelters to increase their visibility to potential adopters.
Our live release rate, a key measure of success in animal welfare, reached an impressive 98.08% for dogs and 94.54% for cats. While we faced challenges during kitten season with a higher-than-usual number of neonatal losses, our commitment to compassionate medical care remained unwavering.
In May 2024, we launched our NHS Mobile Clinic as part of our continued community efforts to reduce animal overpopulation. With nearly 500 spay/neuter surgeries completed, this program is tackling the root of the overpopulation issue in our community. It’s estimated that a single unspayed cat can contribute to over 100 kittens in her lifetime—so each surgery is a step toward preventing suffering and creating a more sustainable future.
As we celebrate this year of success, we are deeply grateful for the support of our adopters, volunteers, donors, and community partners. Together, we are transforming lives—one pet at a time. Together we are making a difference.
Our Animal Transfer Work
We accepted 394 animals in 2024 from other animal welfare agencies located in Florida, Georgia, and other surrounding states. These animals, whose time and resources had run out at their original shelters, were given a second chance of finding a home with us.
Medical Care
At Nassau Humane Society, every animal receives the medical care they need to live a healthy, happy life. From essential services like spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, and preventative treatments to emergency and specialized veterinary care, we are committed to giving each pet the best possible start.
We rely entirely on community support to fund this critical, life-saving care. Your donations and adoptions make it possible for homeless pets to heal, recover, and move on to loving homes.
When you adopt from us, you can be confident your new furry family member is fully vetted and up to date on all core wellness treatments—ready for their next chapter by your side.
By The Numbers
Nassau Humane Society (NHS) tracks the status of every animal in its care using a nationally recognized standard. The data provides a detailed breakdown of the animal’s health and adoption status. Please click here for our annual statistics.
We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our NHS staff and volunteers and the generosity of our donors and partners for making these life-saving achievements possible.
Our History
Nassau Humane Society (NHS) has saved and enriched the lives of thousands of pets and people living in the City of Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, the Northeast region of Florida, and beyond, since the 1980s.
But it was in the early 2000s that a group of engaged local citizens and volunteers came together to address the overwhelming stray dog and cat population of what was then a very rural Amelia Island. Using funds from their own pockets to feed and treat diseased and sick animals – and at times even their homes to house them temporarily – these caring, pioneering volunteers persevered to create an organization that now saves thousands of animals every year.
2009
In 2009, we opened our off-leash, member-access only dog park. This is the only off-leash dog park on Amelia Island.
2012
In 2012, we opened our Second Chance and The Closet resale stores which provide a continual source of funding for our adoption center operations.
2014
In 2014, our current adoption center for homeless animals in need opened thanks to major support from the community-at-large, several generous private donors, and cooperation from the City of Fernandina Beach.
In any given year, we intake approximately 1,700 dogs and cats to help them connect with loving families, so we estimate saving more than 10,000 animals since expanding our shelter in 2014. We take owner surrenders, strays, and animals transferred from high-kill shelters to save them from euthanasia and to give them a second chance at finding the home that they deserve. As long as there are homeless pets needing loving homes, our work is never done as on any given day, we are housing, treating, and loving approximately 100 homeless dogs and cats.